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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/21/2010
Posts: 26
Location: Wales
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Hello all!
I'm something more of a lurker than a poster - but I figured I'd ask how everyone else would deal with this situation. Because, well, you would understand best!
My friends and I always go for a meal before Christmas. It's tradition and has been for a number of years. This year - we've been spectacularly disorganised - but finally managed to book a meal together next Saturday.
Problem is though - one friend has got pneumonia. She's on antibiotics, but is hoping to come.
Now I know next to nothing about pneumonia. Scratch that. I know nothing about pneumonia - other than how to spell it. I think. But I do know that I am paranoid about my own health (bordering on hypochondria sometimes - I mock myself but it's true) and I know that I'm bad enough around people who just have 'a bit of a cold'.
So. My question is - what should I do? Should I go if she does come? Should I drop out just in case? Am I worrying about nothing and being ridiculously paranoid?
...
As to my own health... My RA is pretty low atm, I do have a bit of a cough (my GP said today that I need to leave it another few weeks *before* I worry. Hah! No chance), and I take Methotrexate 20mg and 5mg of folic acid once a week...
Thoughts/comments/questions?
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 263
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Hi ! I didnt think you could catch Pneumonia from someone else . I could be wrong its maybe like a virus.
If you do go have a good night and enjoy the meal
Kathleen Mc.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 1/14/2010
Posts: 118
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Hi yes I agree I always thought it was not catching but could be wrong. Love Melanie
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/8/2010 Posts: 914
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Hi,
I have just looked up wikipedia about pneumonia, You are no different to how I was about worrying about viruses etc. It's not you who should not go, your friend should stay in bed. It says its airborne so she should not come and risk infecting anyone else. People should not be so thoughtless especially where you are concerned with RA. Hope you get to go and she does the right thing and stays put. Lorna x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Hello.
I looked it up as well and I agree with Lorna if your friend is so poorly
she is the one that should stay in so as not to infect anyone else.
I hope you enjoy, or you could put in off till the New Year so that
you could all go.
Rose
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/21/2010
Posts: 26
Location: Wales
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Excellent. Thanks all. I think I shall ring up my nurse so I have her stating what to do - that way it won't sound like I'm being silly if I have to say "If you are going - I'm not." and upsetting my friend. She's feeling pretty awful as it is!
... Now I just need my weird cough to clear up and I can start worrying about something else! Christmas presents probably...
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 5/19/2010
Posts: 384
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Hello,
I just couldn't say "If you are going - I'm not" through the risk of upsetting not only her but others. I know it is thoughtless of her but I'm sure not intentionally but people just don't understand this disease.
I would just have to make my excuses if I felt that strongly about it.
Hope it all works out well.
Anne x
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 12/3/2009
Posts: 1,035
Location: in a house
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i think you can catch certain types of it . Like though air con being on a plane and stuff like that . But not sure .I think on the whole its hard to catch and most types you would not catch . But if she is half way over it and you kept hands away from your mouth and good hand washing you would be safe . And don,t forget out for a meal you could really catch anything being out . If it was me i would still go .But maybe ring the nurse to say what she said .But if you friend is well enough to go .I would had thought it ok. I have never caught anything by being out and eating with people with things wrong .But do keep to good hand washing it does keep bugs a bay . Saying this i am not a doc . Christine The chocolate eating housewife ...The washer woman .....naughty lady
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Rank: Member
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Joined: 6/21/2010
Posts: 26
Location: Wales
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AnnieB wrote:
I just couldn't say "If you are going - I'm not" through the risk of upsetting not only her but others. I know it is thoughtless of her but I'm sure not intentionally but people just don't understand this disease.
I would just have to make my excuses if I felt that strongly about it.
Well, I wasn't intending to be quite as blunt or as petty sounding as that - it wasn't meant to be taken as a literal statement of what I may have to say. So my apologies if it sounded like it did. What I meant to indicate was that I will phone up my nurse to ask what I should do. If the nurse says it is unwise for me to be around her - then I will relay that to her and my other friends in as tactful a way as possible - and hopefully clear up some misconceptions about the disease whilst I'm at it. I hope that clarifies what I meant.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 2,237 Location: nr Southampton
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If you do go and she doesnt, get some of that hand gel anyway and clip it onto your keyring. I am a bit paranoid about door handles etc. Bernice is coughing and on anti-biotics but somehow managed to avoid that so far.
hope you do get an evening out.
jennihow to be a velvet bulldoser
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 6/21/2010
Posts: 26
Location: Wales
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Well, I have spoken to one of the nurses - and yes - like Cinderella I do get to go on my night out!
... Now all I need is a fairy godmother to find me something to wear! No sparkly high heels though - I think the pavements might be a little dangerous at the moment...
Thanks all!
jewelrhi
(A final note - the nurse checked what meds etc I was taking *before* saying yes - so if anyone else is in a similar situation - I would ring up the nurse rather than just taking a forum post on it).
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/6/2009 Posts: 177
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I know what you mean. I'm also a bit paronoid about picking up germs and carry a bottle of that spray for hands to destroy germs. People look at you strangely when you spray it but with the drugs we take i think it's a good precaution to take. I also wash my hands thoroughly when i've been out. Getting back to the subject of if you can catch pneumonia, i'm not sure, i always thought that some sorts you can catch and other sorts are brought on my another infection getting worse such as a chest infection.  It is a difficult decicion to make and i think you are wise to get a professional opinion. Love Shirley x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 327
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Yes, I carry hand sanitizer with me as well - what a paranoid lot we are - but then we're just being careful.
Incidentally, shouldn't you get the pheumonia jab along with the 'flu jab from your doctor's if you have RA? I did.
Anthea x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 838 Location: Nottinghamshire
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I'm getting a bit paranoid about catching things from people. I always use to say I had a good immune system and never hardly got ill. A cold was normally a two minute wonder. However since being diagnosed and more so now since I have just started on MTX it does worry me. Husband has just got over a very bad cold, bordering on being flu, headache, aches etc. Spent best part of two days in bed, so I was really worried about catching it from him. But no, bit of a sore throat and that was that.
I am trying to remember what I was told about the pneumonia jab. When I had my first flu one I was also called in to see the nurse to have one for pneumonia. If I remember right she told me the following.
Every year the powers that be decided which flu virus is going to be the worst (there is lots) and we are vaccinated against two of them.
The pneumonia one is only given the once, there is two sorts of pneumonia. One which you can catch, (that what the jab is for) and the other is one that develops from another illness. Once you've been given the one for the catchable one you are covered for life.
I'm about 90% sure that is what I was told, but I might be wrong.
Paula x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Just a mention Paula....you had the sore throat, your husband had Man flu!  The pneumonia jab doesn't cover us for life but I can't remember whether it lasts 5 or 10 years. Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 8/1/2010
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Location: hampshire
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I'm pretty sure it is 10 years. I was really worried about catching things when I started mtx. As a teacher I'm constantly exposed to bugs and I've aways felt my immune stystem was really effective as I rarely caught anything - may be once a year. (I now know that strong immune stystems are noy necessarily a good thing  ) Sice starting mtx I haven't found myself to be more suseptable. Cold after cold has gone around school and I've been fine. Cue for me to go down with double pneumonia tomorrow ) Sue x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,006 Location: Timperley
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 838 Location: Nottinghamshire
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Yes I think you are right, it is for 10 years, I remember now........ Blame the drugs!!!
Husband was ill, not the man flu, bless him. When he worked he would get out of bed, go to work, then come home and go to bed again, he doesn't give to it easily.
He did have pneumonia once, many years ago, ended up really bad, but the morning when it all started he went to work, with me telling him not to , saying........You'll be back in a bit............I was right he did. Doctor at the hospital asked me how I knew he was ill. I had known him then for about 25 years, of course I knew he was ill.....Silly woman.
Paula x
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 8/1/2010
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That's it!! I am NEVER going to say that things are going well for me again. Yesterday at 2pm I was saying that in spite of mtx I wasn't catching any bugs or colds. BY 4pm I was feeling really sick, throwing up in the evening and off work today.  And I was supposed to be on a school trip to Bath with my class to see the Roman Baths and the Xmas market. I don't get to do trips usually and I was really looking forward to it.  Sue
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